


Small Bump

by LionessRinoaVIII



Series: SMAA Collection [12]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Birth, Birth complications, Companion Piece, Domestic Fluff, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Lupus, Minor Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart, Minor Zell Dincht/Quistis Trepe, One Shot, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Romance, anemia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24921256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LionessRinoaVIII/pseuds/LionessRinoaVIII
Summary: Squall and Rinoa's son and Zell and Quistis's daughter have found themselves in love with one another. The teens decide to settle down for the evening with some Dungeons and Dragons while their parents are out of the house. Little did they know that their little accident had other plans for the evening. Angst with a happy ending.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart, Zell Dincht/Quistis Trepe
Series: SMAA Collection [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765453
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xadrea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xadrea/gifts).



It was a particularly cool and snowy afternoon in late January, and I pulled a thick blanket over my huge belly as I snuggled against my new husband on the floor around our gameboard. Noctis and I had just had a Christmas wedding, and now just barely a month later we were anticipating our first child any day. Our very sudden thrust into adulthood, however, had done very little to hinder our love for our weekly hobby, which we had talked Julia and Tatsuki into becoming a permanent part of.

The four of us were sitting around the Dungeons and Dragons board that Noctis had hand painted himself while Julia breastfed her new baby, Trinity, who was a three-month-old little chunk by that time. Tatsuki was lovingly patting Julia’s leg, and he and I were having an intense debate over what strategy our party should be using to kill the high-level vampire that currently had our characters cornered. Noctis was living for the argument. He had built an entire home-brew campaign all by himself, and I knew how much he loved the fact that Tatsuki and I got so immersed in his story. Julie was more interested in her baby, but Tatsuki…he could get competitive, and I enjoyed that aspect of his personality.

I struggled to get comfortable. My back had been aching non-stop since last night, and Raiden was kicking me pretty hard as I moved my Half-Orc Paladin within smiting range of the vampire. Tatsuki’s character was a healer, he needed to let me handle this one. In Noctis’s story, a crime syndicate known as the Black Mages had infiltrated the capital of the White Mage city of  Daggerfell . The White Mages had called upon Tatsuki, Julia, and I, The Company of  Summerhaven , to protect and avenge their land. Currently the Black Mages had raised and sent and army of vampires to destroy the city, and I knew that as a paladin, I ought to have some sort of ability that could banish that kind of evil. I just couldn’t recall what it was. “I’m telling you; I have something on here that can kill this guy.”

Tatsuki looked like he didn’t believe me, and he stuck his tongue out playfully at me. “You said that three turns ago, let me throw a healing spell at it. Vampires are undead right? It would be the equivalent of throwing a phoenix down.”

Noctis laughed. “That might work on undead in real life, buddy, but not in Dungeons and Dragons.” Noctis could tell that I was getting kind of frustrated, I had been pouring over my spells for a hot minute, and he leaned in to give me a quick and tender kiss to my cheek. He rubbed my belly gently as he did so, smirking at the feeling of our son assaulting the palm of his hand. “The spell you’re looking for is called Sunbeam. Paladins don’t use it but check your equipment. You picked up a sword not too long ago that deals Radiant damage.” He whispered.

“Whatever you’re whispering to her over there is cheating, oh wise Dungeon Master.” Tatsuki drawled sarcastically, and I giggled as Noctis pulled away from me with a shit eating grin. I loved to watch him when he was like this. So carefree and happy. The four of us—err, six, counting the babies, felt like our own little family unit. Not that I didn’t love Aunt  Rinoa and Uncle Squall with all my heart, but they had been hard on Noctis ever since they found out we were expecting  our first child. Having them out of the house had been a nice little break. Next time, I thought, we ought to invite Lissa to play, if she wasn’t too cool to hang out with a bunch of parents. 

“It is not cheating to gently remind a player that they aren’t  utilizing all of their resources. Garnet, roll to attack.” 

I didn’t need to be told twice. I equipped my character with the sword called Holy Avenger, which I hadn’t even realized I had. I really needed to pay more attention to my character sheet. I was completely shocked to find that it dealt an extra 2d10 to undead, which had the potential to be a lot if I rolled well. I pulled my trusty pink d20 from my dice bag and gave it a flick. It was a fifteen. 

“That hits, roll for damage.” 

My breath hitched in the back of my throat, absolutely elated as my dice seemed to do the impossible. I rolled 2d6 and 2d10, and all four dice landed on the highest possible number. That was 32 hit points worth of damage and both Tatsuki and Julia looked impressed as Noctis swore under his breath with a laugh. “Shit, babe, how do you want to kill it?” We had been trying all afternoon to kill the son of a bitch, and I couldn’t help but get excited.

I was every bit my father’s daughter, and my body trembled with passion as I shot up out of the floor and punched my fists into the air. “YES! Booyah, baby!” At nine months pregnant I should  _ not  _ have moved that quickly, and I knew instantly that I had made a very grave miscalculation. The searing pain that had been in my lower back for well over twenty-four hours suddenly shot forward, wrapping around my belly as I doubled over. I felt a tight pop between my legs, and my face flushed red with  embarrassment as my water broke all over the game board. “Oh god...I’m s-so sorry that’s disgusting!” My amniotic fluid was warmer than I expected it to be, and it felt like I had pissed on myself.  Aggressively . 

Tatsuki was the first to spring to action, reaching to help me stand straight as Julia pulled out her phone to dial 911. I didn’t know Tatsuki as well as I’d have liked, not yet, and I laughed nervously as he started asking me a billion questions all at once. All I did was shrug. “I just hate that it happened in my favorite pair of maternity overalls...these are linen, do you know how cool that is?” I turned to look at Julia, waving a hand at her in mild annoyance. “No, no thank you, no  ambulance until the baby is out of me, please.”

Julia and Tatsuki both looked at me like I’d just sprouted a third head, which I didn’t the least bit appreciate. Raiden was  _ my  _ baby, this was  _ my  _ body, and  _ my  _ birth experience. “Garnet are you insane? You’re not well, you cannot have this baby here--”

I held my hand up to silence Julie, who hung up the phone with a confused and concerned look on her face. “Leave me alone with Noctis for a moment, Jules. Please? I know that I’m sick, I know what’s at stake, but I need you to trust me.” 

My sister-in-law and I stared at one another for a long moment before she finally resigned to tucking her breast back into her shirt, and hoisting her daughter up on her shoulder. “Tatsuki and I will be in the next room on standby if you need us.” Tatsuki still didn’t look sure, but he allowed his  fiancée to drag him out of the room and shut the door behind them.

When I finally turned to look at Noctis I wished I hadn’t. He was pale as a ghost, and his wide down-turned brown eyes were full of unshed tears. “Nettie, baby, what are you doing? We need to--” He trailed off as I suddenly let out a loud groan, and the pain of the contractions brought me to my knees. Noctis shot to my side and his hands were all over me, rubbing my belly and caressing my hair. He loved me so much, and I was so scared all of a sudden. I honestly had thought I would have more time with him before this happened. Before he ran the risk of losing me. I wasn’t stupid. Ma and Pa tried to keep it from me, but I wasn’t a child anymore. This birth could and probably would end my life. 

“Noctis, I know you’re scared, but I need you to deliver our son, okay?” I panted, fully aware that I sounded like a crazy person as I struggled out of my overalls and situated myself back down on my knees. The pain was getting sharper and more intense, and I could feel the urge to bare down swelling in my pelvis. We were running out of time as it was. There was blood in my underwear as I rolled it down my swollen thighs, more than there should have been, and I felt Noctis begin to tremble as he gripped my hand as hard as he could. 

“Nettie. Please.” He croaked. “Let me take you to the hospital. I can’t lose you. I will  _ not  _ live in a world where you don’t exist. I refuse. I will follow you anywhere, even in death.” Noctis meant every word he said, and that was what terrified me the most. I was not worth dying over. Noctis was loved by so many. His life meant something. 

I rubbed soothing circles into Noctis’s hand, and tears ran down my cheeks as I fought to smile brightly at him. I had been struggling my entire life, and Noctis was always there, my knight in shining armor. He had made every ounce of pain worth feeling a thousand times as long as I got to be in this world with him. He had no idea how proud I would be to die his wife, and the mother of his son. He was the best person I had ever known. “Baby, it has to be this way.” I whispered. “You were there when they told m-me our little boy might not make it. You were there when Ma explained to us that if I’d been born just a minute  later I’d have been born still. I have to get him out as quick as I c-can, I’m not waiting.” 

I didn’t wait to hear his response, pushing with every ounce of strength that I had. I didn’t care about myself. I was disposable. But Raiden Laguna Leonhart was going to be born with breath in his precious lungs if it was the very last thing that I did. Noctis didn’t move to stop me, he let it be my choice, and I was grateful. He wrapped his arms around me and cried, whimpering with every scream I belted out. I knew my being in pain was killing him. 

I only had to push twice before I could feel my child’s head pressing against my sex, and I pressed an excited, bittersweet kiss to my husband’s lips. Maybe for the only time, it was going to be the three of us. I couldn’t wait to see my baby. “H-He’s coming!” 

Blood was pouring out of me as I pushed, but I didn’t dare stop until I felt his head pop all the way out. I released the push as my contraction tapered off, and I rested my hands on my belly as I fought to catch my breath. It hurt worse than any pain I had ever felt in my life...and yet...when I reached between my legs and felt his little head for the first  time I couldn’t feel anything but gratitude. “Tell me. What does our baby look like?” I asked breathlessly, my vision fading in and out mildly as I continued to lose blood. 

Noctis was trying hard to hold it together, but I knew the sight of all that blood shattered his heart into pieces as he glanced between my legs. He never once loosened his grip on my hand and he pressed a loving kiss to the inside of my thigh as he gazed at our little one. “He’s beautiful. Golden complexion, just like you. Tons of light brown hair...he kind of looks like my dad. I don’t know what color his eyes are yet, they’re closed.” His tone was bittersweet, but he smiled down at our son as another contraction tore through me like a knife. 

“N-Noctis, this is the last push I have in  me, I need you to catch him.” I groaned, my legs shaking profusely as I barred down one final time. I felt Noctis cup Raiden’s head, and I fought with my every breath against the wave of blackness that was dancing before my eyes. I just had to get him out. This was it, come on  Garnet. The infamous ring of fire intensified as his shoulders began to emerge, and I sobbed with happiness when Noctis grabbed his little arms and guided him the rest of the way out. 

A sharp cry filled the room, and Noctis called for Julia and Tatsuki to call 911. I couldn’t feel anything anymore, and I could hardly see my husband’s face, but I was so happy. I got to die knowing I had saved my child, and that my family was going to give him the life that he  deserved . I wanted to hold him, to see his little face, and calm his tears. But this would have to be enough. My son was safe. “Take care of him, Noctis.” I whispered. I heard him scream my name, and felt his hands shake my shoulders violently, and then—I was swallowed by an  all-encompassing nothingness. 


	2. Chapter 2

Being on the cusp of death wasn’t as  awful as I had pictured it. My mind seemed to be floating through my favorite memories, from all the way back as far as my Pa teaching me to ride a bike, to dancing with Noctis at our wedding. One memory that stood out strong amid the flurry was the night I had proposed to Noctis. I had made up my mind instantly, when I found out I was expecting his child, that no matter what happened, if I was going to die I wanted to die his wife. That notion was only solidified the day the doctor had told us our son might not survive, at our first ultrasound  appointment , and that we shouldn’t get too attached. My pregnancy was going to be high risk. My lupus wasn’t in remission. Remission was the key to a healthy pregnancy with my disease, and I was chronically anemic on top of that. The odds were stacked against us from the beginning. 

The doctor was out of his mind. There was no chance in hell that Noctis and I weren’t going to get attached. From the moment I had tearfully brought that positive pregnancy test into his room, we both were desperately in love with our son. I laid in his bed, bawling with our ultrasound picture clutched firmly between my fingers, and Noctis was shushing me as he rubbed my back. His hand was placed lovingly on my middle and he had buried his face into my hair. “Nettie.” He whispered. “Please don’t cry. I’m not going to let anything happen to this baby.”

“If we lose it, I want you to kill me.” My voice was hollow as I spoke, and it scared even me. 

Most people would have had a visceral reaction to that, but Noctis got me on a level went deeper than any normal connection. Our souls spoke in vibrations only each other could understand, and his arms tightened around the plush of my body. “We’ll do it together, like we do everything. Two swallows of Cockatrice venom each, and we will go right to sleep, in  each other's arms.” He swore. 

“Good.” I was quiet for a few moments as he held me, absentmindedly stroking my belly and the backs of my arms. I pulled the ultrasound to my face to kiss, and I admired the tiny peanut that was growing inside of me for several beats before I continued. “Noctis...make me one more promise, if our baby makes it through this.”

“Anything.” He held one hand against the beat of my heart, and the other against the beat of our child’s. It was a promise, and I couldn’t help but smile as I rolled to get a look at his sweet face. His eyes were swollen and red from crying, and the purple stain that lay beneath them from worried lack of sleep the night prior made his pallid complexion pop like a child sick with influenza. I wanted to kiss every bit of that away. 

“Marry me.” 

I could literally hear Noctis’s breathing change, and he stiffened around me as we lay there. “...what?”

“If we cross the threshold of viability and our son is still alive inside of me...I want you to marry me.” I repeated, though I was suddenly  self-conscious that he didn’t share my desire. I didn’t want to seem selfish, like he owed me anything because of my illness. “I mean...only if you want to. It was just a thought.” I added quickly.

My boyfriend let out an airy chuckle, and his mood seemed to brighten at an instant. “If I want to? Garnet there was never an if. I would be honored to marry you. I’m just...surprised you’d want to marry me.” He admitted softly. “I’m...a lot. My  _ family  _ is a lot.” 

I laughed. “I love every inch of you. Nothing laid bare from your scarred heart could frighten me away.” Noctis had heard enough, and he gently took the ultrasound from my hands, laying it safe and sound on the nightstand. This thick, calloused hands rolled me on top of him and he kissed me with a fervor that traveled like lightening down my body to my sex. I moaned, but suddenly that moan became a groan of pain as I was pulled from the memory and a bright light filled my dim vision. 

Was this it? Had I crossed over? Part of me was excited. I was going to wake up in heaven, right? It seemed  Yevon had quite the sense of humor. My eyes creaked open, and I felt like I had been hit by a truck as my eyes struggled to focus on the hand wrapped firmly in my own. I knew that hand. That was my Noctis. “Baby...N-Noctis...I want Noctis...” 

The hand holding mine squeezed my fingers ferociously, and my favorite voice sept into my ears as I squinted desperately in an attempt at glancing at his beautiful face. “Garnet I’m right here. I am never leaving you, ever.” 

Before I could respond, I heard a disembodied voice come from the foot of my bed. It sounded old, but I couldn’t place it. “You’re very lucky, Mrs. Leonhart. Your husband was quick to tap a vein for you, since you both have type B blood! He saved your life.” 

My eyes finally focused, and the haze of colors swirling in my vision sharpened. I burst into tears as I saw the dark black bruising on Noctis’s arms from where he’d given his very essence for me. My heart clenched with both gratitude and sadness, noticing the small holes in his arms sat just above the thick straight lines of self-harm scars he’d had since the night Laguna passed away. It was always a little dangerous for Noctis to have his skin pierced, he ran the risk of regressing back to that self-destructive state of mind. And yet he hadn’t hesitated a moment to save my life. “You didn’t have to--”

“ Yes I did.” His voice was so hoarse, and tight with a barely contained sob. I wanted to hold him more than I ever had in my life. “Losing you was not an option for me.” He very gently ran his fingers through my hair, and a small smile met his eyes as several thick tears rolled down his cheeks. “I made you something while you were asleep.” 

That piqued my curiosity, and I lifted my own shaking and needle bruised arm to lovingly cup my husband’s cheek. His face was angular, like his father’s, but his skin was so soft. “I adore you, my lovie.” Noctis cracked a smile at the pet name, though I knew he hated it. It made him laugh when I was that cheesy though, and that was worth something.

Noctis pulled a necklace from his pocket, a vial full of dark purple blood. There was a gem in the center of the vial, and it looked like a hunk of garnet. “It’s my blood...I slipped the nurse a twenty while she was bleeding me out to put some of it in here for you. I thought...I dunno...maybe it would be romantic? My blood is officially inside of you right now...and flows through our son too.” He sounded a little nervous as he clasped it around my neck, but I burst into tears. I brought the vial up to my lips to kiss. 

“I will never take it off.” I tugged Noctis down into a kiss, and I tugged lightly on his raven hair the way I knew he loved. “You saved me. You saved our family.” Noctis’s tongue lapped at my own gently, and he was itching to crawl into the bed with me, I could tell. He was practically on top of me as it was, and I laughed as I scooted over to make some room for him. He climbed over the side, mindful of all the wires, and curled his long body around me as he buried his face into my neck. 

“I can’t wait for them to bring Raiden back in here. Our son is amazing, Nettie, and healthy as a horse. He’s a healthy seven pounder, has all his fingers and toes, you’re going to be so happy. You did it, you kept him alive.” Noctis sounded like he was in awe of me, but I didn’t feel like I had done anything special. I just wanted my boy to live, and he had. It was as simple as that. Noctis on the other hand, I thought was a saint. He was the reason our little boy got to keep his mother. 

I rested my face against his head and sighed. “I can’t wait to hold him. He’s  gonna be a little story teller, coming out on the game board like that.” I chuckled, but a small pang of guilt caught in my stomach. Both Julia and Noctis were pretty talented when it came to art and creating things with their hands, something I had never been blessed with. They had worked so hard on painting that Dungeons and Dragon’s board, and I’d ruined it. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. I wish I knew how to fix it myself--”

“Nettie.” Noctis cut me off, and his voice was stern as he spoke. “You almost died. I am not worried about the game.” He nibbled lovingly on my neck, and his hands massaged my belly tenderly, though our son no longer rolled around in there. “I’m  gonna build you a new one, named after our son, and it’s  gonna be ten times cooler.” 

I opened my mouth to respond, but shut it again as my father suddenly appeared in the doorway. He was holding a small bundle in his arms, and his blue eyes were bloodshot, like he’d been crying. I beamed at him, excited that he’d made it home. “Pa!” 

My father had somehow gotten hold of my son, and I didn’t know where Ma or Noctis’s parents were, but for the moment it didn’t matter. I was so happy to see my Pa, my daddy. He had always been my favorite person growing up. He ran to us, and the jostling upset my little one as he let out a tiny wail. “M-My gem, my little girl.” Pa slid Raiden into my arms, freeing his own so he could pull my head  against his chest. Noctis loosened his grip on me to give my father better access, and I was grateful, but I pulled away quickly to get a good look at my new son. 

“Oh...Pa look at him. Look at your grandson.” I marveled, completely lost in his features as I caressed the side of his tiny face. Noctis had been right. He looked a lot like Squall in the face, but I could also see Pa in him. It was as if both our fathers had been blended together into one perfect face. Noctis’s lips, Squall’s nose, Pa’s cheekbones, Pa’s almost teal colored eyes, but Squall’s brown hair. He was so handsome. And of course, just like Noctis said, the child had my eye shape and skin tone on top of all that. He definitely couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else’s, he looked just like his family. My heart had never brimmed with such love in my life.

It was hard to tell if Pa was excited or  devastated . I knew my brush with death had to be hurting him, but to me, the birth of my child was far more important. January 20 th , my little Aquarius. Pa put on a brave face, though his hand was trembling as he ran it through my hair. “What did name did you settle on?”

“Raiden. Raiden Laguna.” 

I was proud of our  son's name, but my father didn’t seem to like it. He scrunched up his face and folded his arms across his chest. “Awful close to Raijin.” He muttered. That was true, and it was entirely on purpose. Raijin had been an excellent grandfather to my  niece , Trinity, and the entire family treated him like he had the  plague because of what had happened to Julia. Raiden was our way of saying hey,  you’re part of this family too. It had actually been Noctis’s idea, an apology for how he had acted while his sister was pregnant. He hadn’t understood, but now that he was a father, things were different, and he loved the little girl. 

“You don’t like him?” My voice caught in my throat, hormones overwhelming me, and Pa’s eyes widened with alarm. 

“ Whaa ? No! Baby I didn’t say that, I love him, just look at ‘ em he’s...he’s perfect.” He assured me, smoothing my hair back as Ma and Noctis’s parents finally shuffled into the room. Aunt  Rinoa was very heavy with child herself, and she looked pale and uncomfortable as Uncle Squall gently rubbed her shoulders. They both smiled at me, though they wore the same pinched expression as my parents. I was... disappointed that they  weren't happier, but I supposed that came with the teen pregnancy and all the complications. It would get better with time.

“Noctis? Care to do the honors?” I asked, pressed a chaste kiss to his lips as I gently petted our sweet son, who was  cooing up at me contentedly. Noctis was the only one as happy as I thought everyone should be, and the pure joy on his face was enough to warm my heart for fifty lifetimes. 

“Everyone, this is Raiden. Raiden Laguna Leonhart. He was born at three in the afternoon and weighs seven and a half pounds. Twenty-one inches long. O negative blood type.” Noctis’s arms tightened around me possessively as he spoke, and I leaned on him as I snuggled deeper into his embrace. 

“Hm. Universal donor.” Ma drawled quietly, standing back a little further than the rest. I frowned. I didn’t like that with all the health problems shared between Ma and I that my son had a blood type that could give to anyone but only receive from his own type. It was worrying, but he had been given a clean bill of health thus far. 

Rinoa slapped a bright smile to her face and leaned forward to get a better look at the baby. “Hello there, Raiden. Nana loves you,  yes I  doooo .  Oh Squall he looks just like you.” She said sweetly, rubbing her swollen abdomen as she did so. She looked like she was in pain, and the hand that was holding Squall’s was gripping him so tightly her knuckles were turning white. I knew I wasn’t the only one who noticed, and Noctis slid from the bed to kiss his mother on the cheek. 

“Mama, maybe you should go rest.” His hands reached to cradle her abdomen, and she looked like she might actually cry.  Rinoa loved Noctis so much, and I had always known they had a special connection. He was her only son. 

“I will not go rest. I want to love on my grandbaby!” 

Noctis brushed his mother’s salt and pepper bangs from her eyes gently, and shot her loving smile. His eyes, however, were staring intently at his father, and unspoken words seemed to float between them. Squall nodded at him, and he patted his wife’s back softly. “Noa, baby. He’s just worried about you is all. You’ve been worried  sick; we can come see Raiden tomorrow. He’ll still be here. You need to lay down.”

Rinoa didn’t like being treated like she was made of glass, I could tell. I didn’t like it either, and I sympathized with her as her lips began to quiver. She just wanted to spend time with him. Noctis quickly pressed another kiss to her forehead and pulled her into his arms. “Mama. You’ve had a long day. Let me take care of you for a change.” She sighed in his arms and pulled back, staring at the sweet baby swaddled in my arms. 

“Fine, fine. But tomorrow, that baby is mine! I’m  gonna bring him presents too!” 

I laughed, watching her pout as Squall practically drug her out by her wrist. Aunt  Rinoa was so stubborn. I loved her for it. Noctis shook his head, smirking as he turned to look at me. “Are you going to be as aggressive a mom as she is?”

I peppered my baby’s face with kisses and smiled brightly at my husband. Raiden and Noctis were the center of my gravity. “I’ll be thousand times worse, just you watch.” 


End file.
